Bradley Beal had scored 40 points in his last two games, including doing so in just 17 shot attempts against the Grizzlies. So at the top of the Jazz’s scouting report was one big flashing headline: STOP BEAL.
The Jazz did. They ball-denied at every opportunity, making it difficult for Beal to even get the ball in his hands. Naturally, the Wizards started running him off screens, but the Jazz used a defensive strategy called “top locking” in order to prevent him from getting open on the move, either.
For a really awesome discussion of top locking, check out Dylan Murphy’s page here at The Basketball Dictionary.